Interlacing needle loom



u 1945- E. LUNDGREN 2,377,564

j uz i 5?): Lam/v June 5, 19.45. E. LUNDGREN.

INTERLACING NEEDLE LOOM Filed Sept. 18, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l elevation o f e puliing need'ley Patented June 5, 1945 STATE5 PATENT OFFICE- m mnmcme NEEBLELGQM" 1 3m 'Lunfigmn Bta if w Hei hts M115,

o hemes Uns mlwrl a sign 1 i A pliemo September 13, 1942, Serial No. 458,781 v 14 Cla ms- This invenfionrelates m an interlacing; needle 100m. More particularly; the invention pertains to-a loom-orthe like fer sewing, interlacing or needling were/veilinglayer, at fibrous materialto bemede into-befits or fabrics for usein resilient pads orcushions. i i 1 Machines now in useferthe -purpeses'indieated above are heavy, cumbersome and slew moving,

being provided with elaberately machined slid-ingcontact surf-aces; these cenventi nei'machines no provision hasbeen made for cenform ingthemovements ef the interlacing needles withthe-like made fromcertain fibers whiehnp to-t he presenttime l have resisted all fforts ta interlace orneedle the-same.

It is therefore an important object of the-invention te provide a simple; rugged and inexpensive interlacing needle i'eemer the like pepahle of handlinQhiatts-or febries'madejirom s-11y and ail eypes-of fibersr Anether-importsntobjectef'this'inveptionistu Figure 10 1s a, greatly enlerged fragmentary side-elevation cf a pushingrneedle;

Figure 11' is a. transverse cross sectional: view taken alon theline XIQXI of Figure :10

Figure 12 is 'a. greatly enlarged side elevaifienal view bf another typeof pusmng needle; and,

Figures '13 ema l-4 are greatly enlarged 'detaiL views shewin'g theetirm of thepushing needies'ofi Figuresl'oito 12. l

As shown on thedraivings:

The -maehine indicated genersn m Figures 1 and 2 with the referen'ce niimerai m is supported by a frame formed-by' 'm'embers H consisting (if structural: shapes rei'I'edf-rom steel; This frame can el'lso be const'ruete'd from castings or any. other mterial suimme for making a suffieient'ly subst'ainfiialstrueture.

Themovingmarts 0f the machine include an upper crankshaffi li'i'and a Tower crank shaft rs. Theseit'wbierenk'shefts are supported in bearings 1'41 The ranleishefssi 1252mm I13 are mes-te by gea r redimti'on' syst'ems inchidi-nga 'lar ge gear 15 previde armaehine of 'the nature -indicetedwherein the 'mevemerit of the iinterleeing needlesis coordineted wiiih the movement; of the material beingtrdted.

A' further 'objeet 01" this invention is {00- provide a machine i of the type indicated previ'ded with opposed sets 6f needles whose pressures or pu'lis cancereaeh ethersoihat littie or my reaction resuits that would otherwise have to be taker; care of by special machiheelements;

Other and further objects and features efthe invention will beeome apparenfi fmm the appen'ded -c leims mid -H011! the toliowing detailed descrinti'on of en iliustretive example oi a 100m according tofthis invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I ism vertical cross-sectionalview ef'the loomfitakien eel-(mg the iine- T- r of Figure 2; parts ef 'the 'leom being breken away to '{show the 106m censtrnctibn moreclearly;

Figure 2 is warmer cross sectienel lview'of the loom take-n aibng the line fin ef Figure 1;-

Figures 3 [tow are" grea; y enlarged detailv iews showing-the action or pli'll-ingheedles;

Fieure '9" a transverse cros seetienjei' View wkenel'ong the line fli fii 'of'Figure 8;-

greatly enlarged-fragmentarysideh lewershaft' I3; The gearslfi and I'S'aIr-einturn driven, respectively, by pinions I! and H3]. The pin'ions I! and 1 8 are attached; respectively, to shafts-13 and 20 journa'lledi in corresponding bearings: .21 and: 22. In a 'eemmereiai machine the? gears '15 and: mi the .pinibns 1'1 and: [8;sha-fifis mend: 20; bearings 24 1 imam, as' wei l asnother essentialimevingr parts wonlflTbeenclosed sube s-tanizial metal housings containing a suitable- 11 for ine "centinuous lubrication ,df the moving. parish i Y Thershafit zniisidrivenrby aamotor lfl and ini-mrn drives i'he "shaft i8 synchronously through a spm'cket chain. 11: ana spmcket wheels 1 2: and. afiixed; resnentiinelyrto the'shafts: flfl and' H. Simeeket wheelssfl' 'keepibhe chain 11' ta-nt: Ibis possible touefiect driving otherwise, as :by gesrs and-shafts; synchronous metorsxorany eiher suite able-means! h h r" i l 'Ates h'em the shaiis 1:2 serephwided; essee iveiy; wit cranks e disks 2.3 and 24 Eachl ner f meJcrahk disk fl3:;end 24is=morlded'w izh su table means i tonzaiztach ne screnk this purpose. The object of the slotted design is to provide for adjustment of the stroke of the machine by moving the pins in the slots 26. Moving'the pins away from the center produces a longer stroke, while movement in the opposite direction produces a shorter stroke. In place of the slot construction, the crank disks can have a number of holes drilled at varying distances from thecenter of thedisks, when adjustment of the stroke can be had by moving the crank pins 25 into a hole located so as to produce the desired stroke. In the construction shown in the drawings, means for adjusting the position of the pin in the slot can include, for instance, a screw located in the slot 26 passing through a tapped hole in the base of the crank pins 26 whereby the stroke may be adjusted simply by turning such screws. l

The shafts l2 and I3 are provided with counter balances 23 disposed to balance effectively the weight of the crank pins .26, connecting rods 2'! and any other weights-attached to the connecting rods 21 as explained hereinbelow. For'extraordinarily high speeds, it may be essential to employ-two counterbalances inplace of each of the counterweights 28 shown in Figure 1, these two counterweights being disposed as nearly opposite the crank pins as possible to avoid lack of both static and dynamic balance, In. the drawings, the counterweights as shown as clamped by screws to rods "extending from the shafts l2 and I3, although obviously other attaching means may also be employed.

Attached to the connecting rods 21 are extension connecting rods 3| so arranged as to form with the connecting rods21 units that can be ,shortened and lengthened. For this purpose,

the connecting rods 21 and, 3|. may be slotted lengthwise and clamped together by bolts 32.

At the lower ends of the upper connecting rods "3| a beam 33 is securely attached, while another beam 34 is attached to-the upper ends of the lower connecting rod 3 l. Thebeams 33 and 34 are provided with suitable means for holding needles 35.

The extension connecting rods 3| are also slotted at 36 to fit over bolts 31 so disposed that the bolts can be clamped in any position along the length of the slots. On the ends of the bolts 3! are provided contactors 38 adjusted to keep the beams 33 and 34 from moving longitudinally, by restraining the beams between vertical frame members II. To the bolts 3'! are also attached restraining rods 39 to which in turn are attached secondary restraining rods 40, both the rods 39 and 40 being formed with matching longitudinal slots .and with bolts 4| so that the rod unit formed by the members 39 and 40 can be lengthened or shortened as desired by moving the members 39 and 49 relative to each other and then clamping the members in the desired position by means of the bolts 4|. As shown in Figure 2, the right-hand ends of each connecting rods-39 and 40 is restrained by a pivot 42 which is adjustable vertically in a slot 43 formed in a plate 44 movable horizontally and held to the frame members II by bolts 45'passingthrough slots 46 in the plates 44'.

A-fibrous batt or fabric A to be interlaced. or

needled may be produced by garnetting and lapping, garnettingonly, picking and blowing, manual distribution,'orotherwise. Such a batt is brought to thema'chinei 0 by a conveyor apron 41 movingon a roller 48 driven by a shaft 49. A similar arrangement is provided for the other end of the apron. As the batt A at this stage usually is characterized by great volume and low density, the batt may be squeezed by a roller 50 to facilitate its entry between an upper rack 5| and a lower rack 52. The racks 5| and 52 are so constructed as to interpose a substantial member between each pair of adjacent needles 35, these members being preferably constructedof steel, although other materials also aresuitable. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the racks 5| and 52 may include transversely disposed channel sections 51a and 5211. having attached thereto pluralities of steel bars 5) and 52b extending in the direction of travel of the batt A. The bars 5l'b and 52b are bent to provide therebetween a tapered entrance for facilitating the entry of the batt or fabric to be needled or interlaced. The

spacing of the bars 5Ib and 52b is the same as that of the needles 35, being such that the needles 35 are free to move upwards and downwards without interference by the bars 5|b, and 52b. The channels 5la, and 52a are located in the machine frame and attached thereto in such a manner that the channels can be raised or loweredand tilted at varying angles, being held in adjustment by brackets 53 and 54 which are provided with slots and bolts. Under certain conditions and to effect certain results, it is necessary to change the moisture or other fluid conditionsof the batt A. For this purpose, I have provided nozzles 55 and 56 which may be used to spraythe batt A before introduction into the machine It with steam, fine water spray, oils, aqueous solutions or dispersions, gases or vapors, as may be required to obtain the desired product. l

The needled batt is supported by aplate 18. The finished product is removed from the machine by means of draw rollers 51 and 58. The rollers, 50, 5! and 58 may be provided, respectively, with sprockets 48a, 53a, 51a. and 58a, over which passes a sprocket chain 59 kept taut by sprocket wheels 60 and BI journalled from the machine frame. The relative speeds of the rollers 48, 50, 51 and 58 can be changed by changing sprockets on the various shafts, thus afiecting the nature of the finished product. If the rollers 51 and 58 are set to move at-a speed greater than that produced by the advancing movementof the needles35, there will be a greater distance between the needle strokes than if the rollers were set to move at the same speed as that of the advancing movement, as the batt will move forward during the period when theneedles are not engaged therein (see Figure 5). Other arrangements for changing the speed ratios can also be made such as variable speed friction drives, variable speed motors and engines, and the like. The entire train of feed rolls and draw off rolls is also arrangedso that its speed may be It has been found that when the machine is 1 used on certain'types of fibers, there is a tendency for some fibers to fall through the racks 5| and 52 and accumulate around the. lower needles 35.

To take care of such-accumulation the machine is provided with: a set of auxiliary needles 35 which work approximately at rightangles to the needles 35. The auxiliary needles 65 shown in Figure 2 are of fish tail construction, although hooked needles may be usedto pull the fibers from between the needles 35 instead of pushing the fibers ofias shown in the drawings. Theneedles then repeat the above described cycle.

65 arefastenedto a needle board 66which is in turn carried by levers 61 attached to each end of the needle board 66. These levers arexpivoted at B8 in vertical frame members II and are driven by connecting rods 69 adjustably attached tothe lower main connecting rods 2'! and 3 l The levers 69. are so arranged and adjusted thatwhen the lower main connecting rods descend, the needle board 66 with its needles 65 will move forward and push 01? any fibers which have lodged among the needles 35. During the upward stroke of the lower mainconnecting rods 21 and 3|, the needle board 66 is retracted out of the way of the ascend-j ing needle bar 34. Theneedles 65 are so spaced and arranged that they move between the needles 35 without touching the latter or interfering with their movement.= With most type of needles itis only necessary to allow the upper needles 35 to descend below the level of the lower rack 52, where the needles will hook any fibres which have lodged among the lower needles 35 fibres into the batt. i 1 i The machine functions as follows. Shafts l2 and i3 rotate as indicated by the arrows'in Figure 2. Rotation causes the needles 35 to ascend and descend and withdraw from contact with the and insert the hooked batt A as'the upper crankpin .25 ascends and the lowercrank pin descends. See Figures 3 to5. During that part of the revolution illustrated in Figure 5, the needles aredisengaged from-contact with the batt, and it can be seen that the points of the needles move in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the material being needled. More particularly, the upper needle points move against the direction of batt travel I during the last half of their ascending movement,

and during the first half of their descending movement and in the direction of batt travel-during the second half of their descending movement and the first half of their ascending movement. The converse is true of the lower needle points.

When the upper needles have completed the first half of theirdescending movement, the descending needles again enter the batt.- During the following portion of the stroke, the needle points will move forward in the direction of travel of the batt and will approximately match the speed of the batt. The top of the stroke is shown in Figure 3. After the top of the stroke (or the bottomof the stroke in case of the lower crank), the points of the needles will be retracted through the "batt while still moving intlie direction of batttravel. The hookedneedle points will then catchand pull up fibrous material, as illustratedin Figure l.

When the second half of the ascending movement is initiated, the needle points will commence to move in a direction opposite to the directionof batt movement. The hooks of theneedle points being placed on the side of the needlesleading in the direction .of batt travel, the hookswill now disengage the fibers pickedup as theneedles were pulled back through the batt. The needles will The extent of travel of the needles lengthwise of i the batt is determined by the location of the bolts or fulcrum pins3l. The'closer the'pins are,

to their'respective crank pins 25, the larger will be the extent of travel. The travel is alsodependent upon thestroke. For a given location of the fulcrum 31, a longer stroke will cause a greater extent of travel. However, when along stroke is used, the extent of'travel can be reduced by moving the fulcrum 31 away from theeccentric or crank pin 25. Themachinecan thus beiadjust; ed to produce a very wide range of stroke and travel combinations. As will be seen, with proper adjustment of the speeds of the feed rolls and conveyor, the draw off rolls, and the stroke and travel of the needles, practically any type of pad can be made, with few or many tufts per unit of surface area. The design of the needle hooks will also influence the nature of the finished product. A large hookwill produce a large and stiff fibrous tuft. i

. It is also possible to raise or lower a set of needles 35 to operate at various levels relative to the racks 5| and 52. If, as shown in Figure 7, the racks are brought closely together and one set of needles is made to pull out a considerable distanceabove the batt, while the other setof needles pulls out close to the rack, itwill be found that the side first mentioned will be soft and fiufiy, while the other side will be hard and firm.

The advantage of such interlacing is readily apparent in-the case of material producedfor use in mattresses and furniture upholstery. Figure 7 also illustrates the use of two different typesof fibres in the samelbatt. A softerfibre is placed on hooked needles such as the needle ShOWIlIiIl Figures Band 9 for producing a'batt by the interlacing method. The same machine can be used toproduce a batt by the punching method. Figures l0 and 11 illustrate one general form of a punching needle provided with barbs 8|, while Figure 12 shows another punching needle having a fish tail point. 'The'actions of the punching needles 80 and 85 are shown, respectively, in Figures 13, and 14. The above described machine is onlyan illustrative example of looms according to the present invention which, broadly speaking, include opposed sets of needles adapted to interlace or needle a batt of fibrous material travelling be tween the sets, means for efiecting reciprocal movement of said needles whereby the needles penetrate the batt and are subsequently retracted, and means for guiding said movement so that the needles, when inserted in the batt, move in the direction of travel of the batt, and, when retracted out of the batt, move ina direction oppositethe direction of travel of the batt.- If desired, one beam only may be operated, the other beam being disconnected or otherwise having its functioning arrested. Many details of construction maybe varied within a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is therefore not my purpose to limit the patent granted on this invention otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims. 3 i i i i i I claim as my invention: 3

l. A device for needling a batt of fibrous material including opposed sets of needles, means .for advancing said batt between said sets of needles to be needled thereby, ,means for effecting reciprocal movement of said needles to cause said needles to be inserted into said batt and to be I inserted into and retracted from the batt will move in the direction of advancement of said batt.

the ends of -said beams, Lme'ans for. reciprocally movingiisaid rrodsitorcauseisai'd needle ato be. successivelyainserted into :said ihattrandto she withdrawn therefrom,.-andvforreach rod a restraining arm havingaone send vip'ivotal-ly attachedttova fixed point-r011 saidmachine and anothercendpivotally attached 'to I said :rod :intermediate "the ends of said rod, isaid: restraining arms itbeing ,operative totguide' the reciprocalzmovement rof: asaid needles wheninserteddnto saidLbamt to move-the-,.needles inathecdirection-of advancement '.of :said ,batt.

4. Armachineafcr'needling =a 'baitt ofifibrous materialincluding. two :spaced beams, :needles ion tnecopposedalsides 'rof said :two beams, .meansior advancing said .battv between saidtwo beam to be :nee'dled byussaid needles; two gcrankslshafts, means for rotating :said' crankishaftsinyoppcsite directions, crankingrmeans .fon said shafts, connecting rods driven by said :crankingameans-for reciprocally moving. :said beamsv to cause :said needles to The inserted into andxto be; withdrawn from said :batt, and iforeach connecting .rod :a

restraining arm having one 'end', pivota1ly-. at-

ing rodintermediate theends of-zsaid .rod,said

restrainingarms being operative Z130 ;guide the reciprocal movement :of..said :needles when interialjincluding two spacedbeams, needlesson the opposed sides :of said beams,v means for advancing said batt ;between 1 said beams and transversely thereof to be needledgbyzsaidneedles,two-crank shafts, meansafor rotating said; crankshafts in opposite directions, two, radiallyv slottedj crank disks on :each crank shaft, a ::crank pin in the radial slot of each ,crank disk, .meansmr securing-said :crankgpin in-said'slots at an -;adjusted distance from the rcenterwof the crank disks, Ya telescopable-connecting rod pivotally connected to teach-crank;pin--.and--to each end of Zsaid .beam, means for locking said connecting rods inany telescoped position, a telescopable restraining-arm for-each connecting rod having -at=one end a pivotal connection -.to said-machine and atanotherend apivotal connection'to said comiecting :rod, means for adjustably securing said pivotal machine connectionto said-machine, means for -adjustably securingsaid ipivotal connecting rod connection to;said connecting rod intermediate" the ends thereof, means-forv locking: said ,re-

straining rod in -any telescoped position, :said

connecting arms and restraining arms ,j ointly i being; operative to g-move-saidaneedlesjintoand .out

. f-Jsaid mass; andin-theldirection of :travel ;of said entrance b'attz: while. ithe needles are; inserted vtherein, and spaced racks extending parallel withsaid beam having-spaced bars extending between said beams andz-said .needles iior supporting said .batt while the battis .needlcd. I a6. 1;A:m'achine for needling abattrotfibroustmaterial including two spaced beams, needles on the-:opposed :sides of said :beams, mean for ad vancing said batt between said beams and transversely thereof to be ne'edledby said needles, two

crankshafts; means for rotatingsaidcrahk. shafts in opposite directions, two radially slotted crank disks'zoneaoh crank shaft, a crankpin in the radial;-slot of each crank disk; meansforsecuring saidwcrank pininsaid slots atan adjusted distance *from "the center of the crank j'disks, a

'telescopiable connecting-rod pivotally connected to eachcrank pin: and to each end of said beam, meansfifor. locking said connecting rods in any telescnpediposition, a telescopable restraining; arm

foraeachconnecting rod having atone end :a-pivotal connection to said machine andsat another endiia, pivotal connection to said connecting rod,

beam; needles-ion said third beam extending transversely :between -.the-.lower-set of needles at tached to :saidnfiistatwol beams, a pivot rod-attached=to;each:end-of&saidvthird beam having One endpivotally attached to. said machine, a connecting rod -for-each ipivot .rod 1 pivotally attached at one end to :said -:pivot ,rod @and having at the other end-a1 pivot connection to ;a connecting rod operative to move the lower of said first two beams, means for adjustably securing said 'last mentioned; pivot connectionto said llast-mentioned connecting rod intermediate the ends thereof ,and Spaced racks extendingparallel withsaid beam l aving spacedbars extending between -saidbeams and .said needles :forsupporting. said batt while theubattisineedled. v

.7. .A ,devicesfor. needlinga traveling fibrous batt including flpposedsets of. needles disposed :so that said batt will advance therebetween, crank-rod means vior reciprocally .moving said needles .to have the needles of the sets simultaneously insertedlinto-tand then withdrawn from the-.batt, and restraining arms pivotally attached to said device andeto .said rods intermediate-the ends of the-latter for effecting movement of .said .needles in thedirectionof travel ofsaidbatt whensaid needles are. inserted in said 1 batt.

8, Adevice for needlingsaltraveling fibrous batt includingopposed sets of hooked needles disposed so that said batt'will advance therebetween, the hooks, of. said ineedles tbeing .turned in the direction=-ofladvancementof the :batt, crank rod means for reciprocallyrmoving saidneedles to havethe needles :or the sets simultaneously inserted into andthen withdrawnfrom the batt,. and restraining arms pivctallytattached atone end to :said

machine .and pivotallyr-attached at the other-end to said" rod intermediate the ends thereof 4 for defining a fulcrum ,rpointv intermediate the ends of said :rod whereby said needles when inserted and whenlbeingwithdrawn from the-batt :will movein the direction of travelrofitherbatt. and when completely withdrawn from the batt will move in a directionopposite to thedirection of travel of the batt so that said books will be disengaged from fibrous batt material.

9. An interlacing or needling machine a for treating fibrous pads including two generally parallel crank shafts disposed one above the other, T

two crank disks on each crank shaft, a connecting rod for each crank disk, transverse members extending between the connecting rods driven from each crank shaft, needles on the opposed sides of said transverse members, restraining arms pivotally connected to said connecting rods intermediate the ends thereof and pivotally connected to said machine for defining a fulcrum on said connecting rods, feed rollers ahead of said needles and draw off rollers behind said needles for advancing a fibrous batt between said needles, said crank shaft-crank-connecting rod-restraining arm system being so arranged as to produce a reciprocal needle movement into and out of said ,batt, the movement of the needles of said two transversemembers being synchronized, and all the need1es moving along with said batt while inserted therein. a

10. An interlacing or needling machine for treating a continuously traveling fibrous batt including opposed sets of needles, means for effecting a reciprocal movement of said sets to and from each other to insert said needles into said batt and to retract the needles therefrom, and

l means for tilting said needles during said reciprocal movement so as to efiect a sideway movesaid sets of needles in the direction of travel of .said batt when the needles are in a more closely approximated relationship, an auxiliary set of ment of the points of said sets of needles in the direction of travel of said battwhen the needle points are within said batt.

11. An interlacing or needling machine for treating a traveling fibrous batt including opposed sets of needles, supporting means for said batt including spaced racks disposed above and below of, said batt ahead of said needles and having spaced bars extending cantileverwise between said needles in the direction of travel of said batt, means for efiecting reciprocal movement of said I batt.

needles disposed so as to be movable between and transversely of the individual members of said opposed sets of needles to remove fibres lodged between said opposed sets of needles and means formoving said auxiliary set of needles transversely of said opposed sets of needles.

13. An interlacing or needling machine for treating a traveling fibrousbatt including opposed sets of needles, means for effecting a reciprocal movement of said sets to and from each other, means for guiding said reciprocal movement so as i also to eflect a sideway movement of said sets of needles in the direction of travel of said batt when the needles are in a more closely approx imated relationship, and means disposed ahead of said needles for introducing a lubricant into said 14. An interlacing or needling machine for treating a. continuously traveling-fibrous batt including a set of needles, crank means for efiecting reciprocal movement of said set of needles into and out of said batt, and means providing a fulcrum for said set of needles intermediate the ends thereof for tilting said needles in the direction of travel of said batt when the needles are within the batt and in the opposite direction when the needles are outside said batt. l ERIC LUNDGREN. 

